Subject: Ant issue Location: Austin tx August 28, 2016 6:15 am Hey ! I’ve had these ants come and go thru the summer more so during the high heat…they’re small but quite a few I can’t find where they are getting in from or what exactly it will take to get rid of them…I’ve tried spay and traps and gel they leave for a bit then come back thought you could help Thanks Signature: Rachel

Possibly Argentine Ant

Dear Rachel, Your Ant looks and sounds like it might be the invasive Argentine Ant, Linepithema humile, and even though BugGuide does not list any sightings in Texas, BugGuide does provide this range information: “across southern United States (from North Carolina to Florida, west through the gulf states to the coast of California. The only limit to their range is freezing temperatures and lack of water.” BugGuide also indicates: “Will often invade homes when weather outside is too cold, too wet or too dry, so may be more obvious at some times than others.” Our Los Angeles office has been plagued by Argentine Ants for years, and we would love to find an eco-friendly means of control, and though we do not normally provide extermination advice, all bets are off when it comes to invasive species, and the Argentine Ant is at the top of the list of scourges we would like to eliminate.

Subject: Thought you might enjoy hangin out w/ this guy 😉 Location: Cahokia, IL August 27, 2016 10:32 pm Caught this little guy comin out of his shell. Looks like he’s already found a friend to hang with. Signature: Jokerswylde

Annual Cicada Metamorphosis with Assassin Bug Observer

Dear Jokerswylde, Thanks for sending us your image of the metamorphosis of an Annual Cicada. The observer is a predatory Assassin Bug. Even though insects are especially vulnerable during and immediately after metamorphosis, we don’t believe there is any threat from the Assassin Bug which would normally prey upon smaller creatures. Interestingly, both the Cicada and the Assassin Bug are classified together in the same insect order Hemiptera.

So this Cicada has a hired Assassin (Bug) for a bodyguard? lol Funnily enough, I was so focused on the Cicada that I didn’t even notice the other little guy when I first took the picture. & when I looked at the picture later, to post it, I thought it was just a common green grasshopper.

Related posts:

Subject: weird big thing Location: south eastern Pennsylvania August 27, 2016 6:01 pm this was found on my neighbors house, we live in the suburbs and her house is backed up against the woods, I don’t know if any of that helps… but if you could identify this for me I’m quite curious! Signature: Karen

Probably Spicebush Swallowtail Chrysalis

Dear Karen, This is the chrysalis of a Swallowtail Butterfly, and we believe it belongs to a Spicebush Swallowtail based on comparing your image to this BugGuide image. According to Featured Creatures: “Pupae: Pupae have two anterior “horns”. Pupae from larvae developing under long photoperiods may be either green (Figure 9) or brown (Figure 10). All pupae from short photoperiod larvae (diapause pupae) are brown. Within the last 24 hours prior to adult emergence, the pre-adult gradually becomes visible through the transparent pupal cuticle.”

Subject: tiny and pretty fly Location: Wildwood picnic area, Angeles National Forest August 25, 2016 10:37 pm This cute little thing I found in Angeles Forest today. I am stumped as to what it is. It was very small. Is it a Pokemon? Signature: Jessica Chortkoff

Possibly Tachinid Fly

Dear Jessica, We believe this is a parasitoid Tachinid Fly, but we cannot find any matching images on BugGuide, though we have to admit, we just browsed. We will try to get a second opinion.

Eric Eaton writes back.Daniel: I did find it on Bugguide using the advanced search for Tachinidae in California….Vanderwulpia atrophopodoideshttp://bugguide.net/node/view/773788 Eric

Subject: Nice Black Beetle Location: Anchorage, Alaska August 26, 2016 5:29 pm I’ve lived in Alaska for 2 years and I’m not well acquainted with the insects here. I caught this guy ambling around in my garage. I took a photo and set it outside. What kind of beetle is this? Signature: Sara

Ground Beetle

Dear Sara, This is a beneficial, predatory Ground Beetle in the family Carabidae. There are many similar looking species found in Alaska on the Carabidae of the World site, and we are not certain of your species.

Update: November 5, 2016We just received a comment that this is in the genus Pterostichus, and we have linked to the genus on BugGuide.

Subject: Beetle orgy on goldenrod! Location: Schenectady, NY August 27, 2016 11:46 am Hello WhatsThatBug, I thought you’d enjoy this shot of no less than four pairs of mating beetles on the same goldenrod plant! There were actually at least two other pairs that I didn’t get in the shot, so clearly this plant is the place for looooove. I think they are Goldenrod Soldier Beetles. I spotted them at a local park that has a perfect pond for dragonflies. This stand of goldenrod grows alongside a tiny stream that runs through the grass in an open area, and as you can imagine it is a very popular spot for all kinds of insects, including a huge variety of bees and wasps. I’ll need to go back with extra batteries in my camera to see what else I can photograph! Signature: Susan B.

Mating Goldenrod Soldier Beetles

Dear Susan, Your lurid images of mating Goldenrod Soldier Beetles, Chauliognathus pensylvanicus, are a wonderful addition to our Bug Love tag. Many years ago we created a Milkweed Meadow tag because there is such a diverse group of insects, including the Monarch Butterfly, that depend upon milkweed for survival, and there are many other insects that are attracted to the nectar rich blossoms. At that time, we had planned a companion plant community tag called the Goldenrod Meadow because similar to milkweed, goldenrod is also associated with a very diverse insect community. We are taking the opportunity to launch our Goldenrod Meadow tag with your wonderful submission, and now we will have to go back through our archives to tag appropriate postings from the past. When you return to the goldenrod patch with extra batteries, please send us any images that you feel will be of interest to our readership.